Cat Chat With Caren and Cody is a cozy corner where cat lovers can grab a cup of catnip tea, curl up in a cozy corner and laugh, learn, share and enjoy a plethora of cat related content that includes book reviews, product reviews, cat health issues, cat related give-aways AND MORE! If it's about Cats, we'll chat!

Monday, July 13, 2015

Book: No Better Medicine: How Caring for Critters Helped Heal The Wounds Of The Past by Kelly Meister-Yetter -Enter to Win!

It is my pleasure to present to you today another book by Kelly Meister (now Kelly Meister-Yetter): No Better Medicine: How Caring For Critters Helped Heal The Wounds Of The Past.

The first time we featured Kelly was on February 18, 2013 when we reviewed her book, Crazy Critter Lady.Kelly's journey of recovery continues in No Better Medicine and we the lucky readers are permitted to accompany her on this amazing, heartfelt and raw journey.
Author Kelly Meister-Yetter, spent years in therapy as a result of childhood sexual abuse. Her life, for many years, was spent in "darkness and chaos." Lesser people might have shattered to bits, never breaking free of the depression that ensued as a result of having endured such horrific experiences.

Animal lover Kelly Meister-Yetter returns with No
Better Medicine, another volume of charming critter tales guaranteed to warm
your heart. Join Kelly as she tries to avoid being thrown by her new equine
buddy, Bit - a horse who is literally afraid of his own shadow - and learn what
happens when a local do-gooder decides to rescue her rogue gang of flightless
ducks off that city pond.

The most haunted of houses is the human mind.

-Patrick McGrath

No Better Medicine is a compilation of what I would like to call stories or essays that make the reader feel as if they they are reading pages from Kelly's private journal.They are soul-baring thoughts and experiences made public in a tasteful, honest and REAL voice. Kelly takes the reader on a journey through her life of recovery after enduring years of sexual abuse.

Key to Kelly's on-going recovery are the 4-legged creatures who "colored her world, put a smile on her face and brought her immeasurable joy."

THOSE CREATURES INCLUDE:

DUCKS:

Pretty Boy Duck and his fondness for George Harrison songs

The gang at McKinnon's Pone who spent years cheering whenever they say her coming.

CATS:

Miss Muffin and her clandestine ability to catch the odd mouse.

CRAYFISH:

Yes, Kelly even rescued a crayfish!

HORSES

Her buddy Ruckus who taught her so much about horsemanship.

Her newest pal Bit, who continues Kelly's equine education.

DONKEYS

Cranky donkey Cricket, who was loved by everyone, in spite of her many moods.

No Better Medicine is 266 pages that are written from the heart, and interspersed with quotes that are raw and stem from a place of pain deep within. Many of the stories will make you laugh, cheer and sometimes cry.

From Kelly:If there is one thing I would have you take away from my story-apart from the universal message that ALL species of animals are deserving of our kindess, compassion, and consideration-it is this; that while the CONSERVATIVE estimate is that one in four girls will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday, and one in six boys, the current belief is that it's one in THREE girls, and one in FIVE boys. The average pedophile molests over 120 children before he's caught.

ON LOSING A BELOVED PET:

As I've observed before, it IS necessary to move forward, to form new relationships with other critters, to let yourself love again, even though you KNOW that one day, your heart will be broken by yet another critter death. These wonderful relationships are vital to the well-being of our souls, and quite possibly theirs, too. They're what make life worth living.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Kelly Meister-Yetter is a writer, photographer, blogger, and author of Crazy Critter Lady and No Better Medicine. She shares her life with three ducks, four cats and a barn full of ornery horses. Based on her years of experience rescuing animals in need, Kelly also acts as an advocate for their care and humane treatment, donating her time and resources to numerous animal welfare organizations. When she's not volunteering at a horse rescue facility, Kelly enjoys training her horse, and waiting on her cats hand and foot. Kelly, the critters, and her husband live in Northwest, Ohio. You can find Kelly at www.crazycritterlady.com

GIVE-AWAY!!

Kelly has generously offered TWO of our readers (U.S. AND CANADA), the chance to win a copy of No Better Medicine. Entering is easy! Just enter on the Rafflecopter below!

Caren, this really sounds like a terrific book. I am so behind on my reading for reviews, that I am not going to enter to win this one. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

The book, no doubt, is deeply profound. To dedicate and be there for our vulnerable critter friends is a therapeutic resource beyond measure. I shall duly share this important post even if Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar and I, her pawtend human, do not live in Canada or that other country :)

Your pet's love is real and palpable. Those who don't know any species but, say, dogs, horses, etc etc have no idea that other animals, cats for my example here show great love when THEY are shown great love. They absolutely love you back and show it. A cat won't show it like a dog or a horse or pet goat etc etc but when you learn the ways of your animals, you see it very clearly.

Oh, I've heard about this book earlier, and I always wanted to read it. I think my cats are the best thing I've ever done to fight my depression and anxiety. I didn't blog that much about cats and mental health as I wanted to, but I'll come back to this topic eventually.